Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Strong fundamentals propel real estate sector


Rising interest rate, oversupply only temporary dampeners






Room for growth

NHB pegs housing shortage at 45 million units in Eleventh Plan.

Retail space demand seen growing to 200 million sq. ft by 2010.

Office space requirements will increase to 95-110 million sq ft.







S. Shanker


Mumbai, Sept 11 Rising interest rate, oversupply in development
phases and project execution are temporary dampeners for the domestic
real estate sector that is propelled by strong fundamentals.


Long-term demand drivers such as a sustained GDP growth, rising
affordability, population growth, favourable demographics, rapid
urbanisation and increasing mortgage penetration, besides an improving
regulatory framework are in place, according to equity broking house
Prabhudas Lilladher.


The National Housing Bank pegs the housing shortage at 45 million
units during the Eleventh Five Year Plan. The urban housing shortage is
estimated at 22 million units, which implies an annual demand of
4.5million units.



Retail demand



The size of the retail industry is estimated at $250 billion. The
sector is expected to grow at 10 per cent per annum and organised
retail is said to form 10 per cent of the total retail market by 2010.
This implied a $35 billion share in the segment, which would generate a
retail space demand of 200 million sq ft (square feet) by then.


Organised retail currently accounts for three per cent of the
industry. However, given the massive expansion plans of domestic
retailers, traditional formats are breaking down. Further, opening up
of the sector was likely to provide a renewed impetus to organised
retail, the broking house said



Office space



The office space market is largely benefited by IT/ITES demand that
constitutes 60-70 per cent of the total demand. Assuming an average
office space requirement of 100 sq ft/worker implies an additional
demand from the sector at 67 million sq ft.

According to
Nasscom, the IT/ITES sector currently employs 1.63 million people and
would need an incremental 0.67 million professionals by 2010. Going by
the demand requirements, this would entail 95-110 million sq ft by 2010.


Ms Neyha Srivastava, research analyst, and Mr Subramaniam Yadav,
associate, said given the limited avenues of fund raising, with a
number of developers going in for initial public offers and foreign
currency convertible bonds, the realty companies’ ability to float REIT
(real estate investment trust) structures could prove a significant
value enhancer.


An REIT would make it easier for developers to divest rental assets and unlock funds for redeployment elsewhere.



The Hindu Business Line : Strong fundamentals propel real estate sector

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